Earthquake: The Big One - FULL POV Ride Experience 1996, Universal Studios Florida, Orlando

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Earthquake: The Big One was an opening day attraction at Universal Studios Florida (Universal Orlando Resort). It closed in 2007, making way for Disaster (which closed recently for an upcoming Fast & Furious attraction). This is a full POV from 1996 of the original ride! Charlton Heston helps "host" the attraction via video.
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Video shot and edited by Jeff Lange.

[@CabinC82]

when I was about 12 I went on this ride about 4 times in one day. I pretended to be an office worker on my way to work. This was what made Universal so cool, is that you could just pretend to be in an actual Earthquake, or being chased by Jaws of being beat up by King Kong. The trouble with CGI screens is that they are just screens. Does anyone else remember the huge rush of air you would get just before the water came crashing down on one side? Or the way the pyrotechnics smelled? Or the feeling of other people panicking and screaming? A screen doesn't give you that.

[@bezoticallyyours83]

Well said.

[@alissakalminski4043]

Yes, i remember all of those! We used to go from when i was about 4, to 12 years old- and this ride specifically still terrorizes and tortures the back of my mind. Being a young kid on this is traumatic. The water rushing down, and the heat on my face from the car falling is what i remember the most, but when you mention the smell i remember the weird smell perfectly again, and also how loud it actually was and the fear of everyone else on the bus. My dad was always excited and held me tight and told me “its fun dont be scared!”

[@RebeccaGoldberg]

Perfect description. Will never forget those smells. Or the HEAT of the fire !!

[@TrashBulldogProductions]

Can't speak much about the Florida version but in the case of the Hollywood one, this ride (Earthquake) even has its own unique smell. It mostly comes from the water and can be best described as a slightly damp and musky aroma and it always lingers on the set. When the truck itself comes down and ignites, who can miss the unmistakeable smell of propane? They actually gave the truck a propane trailer instead of a gasoline one since gasoline fires produce black smoke and emit a different odor. This small detail allows for even your senses of smell to come into play and immerse you in the chaos of the scene similar to Disney's "smellitizers".

[@TheThreeOneThree313]

Exactly! Theres a couple newer rides that are done nicely, but it’s just not the same and I could never explain it correctly. Luckily ET was still there to help explain to friends that have never been to help me explain.. it felt like you were actually on a movie set not just a ride.

[@Spoiled_Rat]

I remember being so terrified as a kid, I knew it was a ride but I really felt like I was gonna die 😂

[@thegoathead7538]

Honestly, the video looks very good for 1996.

[@nancywheeler3347]

The quality looks just like my old phone from 2013 LoL

[@SPIDER-Man669]

Word up

[@DeathnoteBB]

The beauty of film :)

[@krose318]

The ride opened in 1996, the video was NOT made in 96, the original ride was called earthquake, and they call this ride Disaster because the earthquake movies weren't popular anymore. This was called Disaster in 2008, and the earthquake was no longer a ride (even though it's the same ride but different queue)

[@xcelestialsongx]

​@@krose318 The ride opened in 1990.

[@stormgirl09]

I went on this in 1999 when I was 9. I LOVED this ride and Twister too. It's what got me into natural disasters! It's a shame they are gone now....

[@AutismThespian1993]

While I love the current rides at the park, I would have loved to experience this and Kongfrontation. Would have killed to do Jaws!!!! ☺️☺️

[@ITRIEDEL]

This was another ride I remember riding when I was a kid. Again, like the King Kong ride, I didn’t know this was a ride in this sense. My mom never bothered to tell me, so when I rode it, I literally thought we were about to die. That tanker truck scared the fk out of me.... I remember when it came skidding down - I thought I was done for. And the tram in the front was rocking back and forth. God this brings back terrifying memories.

[@Badgyallonaa]

Moldygreenbean 😂😂😂😂

[@daytonalvaro258]

i realize it's kinda randomly asking but do anybody know of a good place to stream newly released tv shows online?

[@bodiesergio6738]

@Lane Zaiden Thank you, I signed up and it seems to work :D I appreciate it !

[@bryanclark2404]

@Lane Zaiden thanks, I went there and it seems like a nice service :) I appreciate it !!

[@demetriusronald7082]

@Lane Zaiden Thanks, I went there and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :) I really appreciate it !

[@bernebelmont1857]

something that shows off how movies were made with immersive special effects, being replaced by a bunch of 3D screens. special effects in general

[@elisahuberman3408]

Yeah, I want attractions that teach audiences how movies are made, not ones that are now in 3D that give me cardiac arrest

[@bezoticallyyours83]

@@elisahuberman3408 is that cardiac arrest born out of extreme annoyance? ;)

[@elisahuberman3408]

@@bezoticallyyours83 no, sensory overload

[@steviechan139]

I rode this as a kid once. I was sitting in the back with my aunt, and my parents were in front of us. I remember my aunt grabbing my mom (her sister) by the shoulders and shouting, "We're all gonna die!" XD

[@vibes3360]

Stevie Chan 😆😂

[@WTFwork12]

I am so happy I got to experience the old park, King Kong, BTTFM, Jaws, Earthquake, Twister, even Disney World with the alien ride where it breathes behind you!

[@ww21943]

I was on this ride in June of 1995. I just turned 10 and I was brought on stage to be one of the kids in the escalator!!!

[@megalosaurusrex]

You lucky son of a b. This was my dream as a child.

[@bezoticallyyours83]

Awesome!

[@RebeccaGoldberg]

Sameeeee I rode this year after year and FINALLY got picked it was a dream come true.

[@TrashBulldogProductions]

8:24 Most badass effect ever! Beats 3D simulators and Disney rides with failing animatronics.

[@justinkaufman6896]

I was scared when I was little this is way scary than Haunted attraction

[@mariamena8831]

Yep! Stuipd 3D simulations, Disney rides, THIS EFFECT IS COOLER!

[@imlost19]

some disney rides have stuff like this still like the resistance one but yeah... these practical effect rides were something to behold

[@lonesoul14281]

this>fast and furious

[@Adam-dc8lh]

It's the 90's. You know they're gonna go all in to make it feel real. Goosebumps going wild over here.

[@frigid_notjustcold]

At 7:27 i got emotional for some reason. The wholesomeness of the woman and the child (maybe son not sure) where she gives him the "oh, this is exciting!" look that my mom would always give me when she took me on rides as a kid took me back and im so nostalgic for it now. I wonder if these people are having good lives now.

[@stephenkostiak5769]

I remember being on Earthquake: The Big One very vividly. The 2nd version of the attraction has scale models for these Universal Studios movies: ET The Extraterrestrial, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, U-Fi 71 and Earthquake from 2002 to 2007.

[@jaredporikos6958]

i have always loved the video they showed before you rode the ride

[@SilverDGolden]

I remember riding this when I was little, it was the only memory I have from that trip to Universal. I always loved it cause I have always been a fan of disaster movies even as a kid so having the feeling of acutely being in one made me ecstatic. When I went back years later and found it was gone and that a Fast and Furious ride had replaced it I was super disappointing and when I found how bad it was I was even more disappointed

[@Shockzone1495]

I'm so glad I got to experience this ride before it closed

[@konnorrockkonnoisseur4970]

I rode Earthquake a year or two before they repackaged it as Disaster at Orlando. It was truly an end of an era when they shut it down for good

[@Thoralmir]

Ah, memories. All to be replaced by more 3D screen simulators.

[@ivegasliveentertainmentinc4698]

That's the way of Attraction Technology, it's evolving with the times.

[@Thoralmir]

@@ivegasliveentertainmentinc4698 What, to take the laziest and most uninspired route possible? You're supposed to _ride_ the movies, not watch more of them!

[@ivegasliveentertainmentinc4698]

@@Thoralmir I understand where you're coming from, however, you do realize that it takes hundreds of thousands to almost millions of dollars and a whole load time to repair and maintain an attraction, right? You do also realize that sometimes if one animatronic breaks, it can have a domino effect and affect another animatronic, right? You do also realize that if a piece of an animatronic, whether be-it external or internal, breaks/ snaps off, it's not an easy replacement, even if they have a spare piece laying around in a backstage warehouse or not, right? The reason why you all purists complain about 3D and Flat Visual Screens, is because you don't know, let alone realize the time, effort and money that goes into regular upkeep of these attractions. For Example: Let's take Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland or Disney World, if an animatronic decides to not work or go haywire, during operation, then the entire ride progression stops, studio lights come on, overhead music stops with "Attention Park Goers, due to unforeseen circumstances, your journey cannot continue. Sorry for any inconvenience. Please, wait for a park staff to arrive to assist you out of your boat." Then the attraction after that incident is closed until further notice. That closure may last days, if not days, weeks and at times months, because sometimes some animatronic parts aren't available in a backstage warehouse and needs to be ordered, designed and shipped, which takes time. Then they have to work around park operation which are at times difficult, because that attraction, despite repairs and maintenance are made priority for it, isn't really the only one needed to be maintained. So couple the initial diagnostic process and parts ordering and/ or acquirement with the repairs and maintenance, you create inconvenience that most people at the park find annoying. Great Example: The Yeti Animatronic at Walt Disney World's Expedition Everest attraction, it faced many issues like breakage, hell the platform that it stood on was damn near breaking part. So do you know what Disney Parks had done?...... The Park's Solution: They completely shut the Yeti animatronic down, permanently rendering it motionless, as they got sick and tired of constantly repairing and maintaining proper and regularly scheduled upkeep on it. It wasn't cost effective, let alone efficient to keep the Yeti animatronic moving. The only way they gave the Yeti movement is utilizing quickly strobing lights and high speed powerful fans, plus couple those things with how fast you're going on the ride, you barely notice him standing or hanging still. I do understand that the same can go with screens, however, the repairs on them aren't as time consuming and costly, the attraction isn't going to close for days or weeks upon weeks long. Parks go for screens, to keep repair and maintenance costs down and to limit/ prevent park operation interruptions.

[@Thoralmir]

@@ivegasliveentertainmentinc4698 Oh, I am fully aware of all that. I have family that works for Disney. I still say it's uninspired, penny-pinching, and cheap, especially with the sort of money they're pulling in every year.

[@dinocas420]

Windy, B-mode yeti is still better than a screen would be. And there are lots of times when one or two (or more) animatronics won't be running correctly or staged correctly and they don't just shut the whole ride down. I was at Universal 2 days ago, and there was something "wrong" with every ride I went on, but it wasn't closed down! I'm sure most people wouldn't even notice. It actually adds to the experience for me, as I am someone who finds everything about practical effects a fascinating process. Mistakes included. If I wanted to watch a movie, I could stay home. And things still go wrong with screens too.

[@vibes3360]

Went there with my parents and sister in 93 It was AMAZING!

[@harlandted]

Thank you for posting. The ride forced you to repeat seating positions to see all the effects. From the back of the train you missed the subway crash.

[@commentarycentral538]

IM SO FREAKING HAPPY I SAW THIS BEFORE FAST AN- I DONT EVEN WANT TO SAY THE NAME

[@anthonyranero6952]

This ride was so insane it broke the camera's sound barrier

[@makkypak415]

Earthquake simulator still looks good 😤👌

[@jartrain]

Nice little cameo by charlton heston!

[@IcicleM]

This IS the definitive Earthquake ride experience. The way the ride vehicles were raised and lowered by the hydraulics FREAKED me out. The ride lasts so much longer too, with that being the first thing you experience. I remember it vividly as a kid, the horrifying idea of being trapped underground during an Earthquake. The set really sold me. I was from DC, so a local underground metro was absolutely something I had experienced before, and the thought his could happen there was really being sold to me. Also, imagine your role is "Director at Earthquake". You get paid to come in, clock in, get dressed in a loud jacket and pants, put on a hat and sunglasses, which you get to wear inside, and then open a door every 10 minutes and shout "You were great everybody, now go and enjoy the rest of your day at Universal Studios Orlando!"

[@travelsonic]

I loved Earthquake. I heard they made it really ... ugh ... when they remade it in 2007. >_

[@k001daddy]

Well, the movie Earthquake was pretty old even when the park opened in 1990, so a refresh was welcome. Still, I miss the old girl. #QuakeRocks

[@Striljr]

It was still Earthquake, and though the preshows were changed, the attraction was in need of an update and atleast they kept the main part of the ride with the addition of the tv screens and making you star of the fake movie I didn't mind it. It was fun and funny, but it definetely feels like your at Universal. Then... sadly... Fast and Furious came around... and boy did they screw up bad removing this for that!!!

[@Striljr]

Wow! It should be considered a crime to remove something this awesome for a stupid 3d screen attraction, even when this was rethemed to Disaster it was still 1000 times better. And yes, I did enjoy the Fast and Furious movies, but the attraction based off of it was just a waste. And they also got rid of Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revnew. Way to go Universal!!

[@Mommy129]

as a kid this ride scared the ish out of me lol but I loved it so much and I miss it. Also, twister was good as well!

[@bezoticallyyours83]

Truck scared the crap outta me as kid.

[@mariamena8831]

Well, the truck they got was not real, I'm guessing they painted it and put some fire effects behind it.

[@bezoticallyyours83]

@@mariamena8831 thank you captain obvious, do you have anything else you'd like to share with the class?

[@gabrielquinones3343]

@@mariamena8831no the truck was from a real semi truck a ford t906 They modified and have it on a track

[@nickellfrancis1128]

That was the best ride earth quack is number in universal studios Orlando in the late 90s thank you for the video

[@jasonpadula4916]

1993 or thereabouts I got to take part in the performance prior to the ride. While falling down next to the escalator I actually wailed my head pretty hard on it. I only hoped that it added to the realism for the other guests watching us, lol.

[@SegaGentleman]

The water stairs!! I thought this was memory id never see again! I was sitting in the seats closer to the stairs and when i saw that water rushing down the stairs, i thought my 10 year old life was over 😅

[@aamiller90]

This is gonna sound so stupid but when I was 2-3 years old watching the souvenir video, I always thought the water saved us from the earthquake and fire. Lol

[@vibes3360]

Andrew Miller it’s not stupid...

[@bezoticallyyours83]

Not dumb at all

[@emeraldreese5693]

I loved this ride. I remember getting on it with my Mom and sisters

[@alexandrebrossard3957]

The miniature props are amazing !!

[@georgejrivera3388]

This ride was so much fun, I remember all the universal classics, Jaws, ET, The Ghostbusters show, King Kong, Honey I shrunk the kids. This video really takes me back. I vividly remember yelling oh sh*t when the truck come crashing towards the train.

[@shutdown8947]

MIND CONTROL OF THE 90'S

[@SPIDER-Man669]

I miss this ride

[@jaymills3627]

I was 11 or 12 when I did this ride and it was amazingly horrific. I still think about it until this day

[@stoneyhollow]

I loved this ride as a kid

[@geraldjohnson6109]

The person that did the movie set at Walt Disney world did a very good job. Well acted.

[@ashleymiller9465]

As somebody who lived in SF and took this exact route I can’t say I find this fun, ngl

[@johnlast8984]

if u guys have anymore vintage video get e.t. ride when it first open

[@BlameItOnYourFriend]

When I was young the coolest ride I could remember at Disney World Florida was this earthquake ride that was underground. I was.like 9 at the time, so 1999. I would love to know if that ride is still there.

[@michaeltoomey7234]

Beautiful explosion

[@karaokebackgroundplaylists9878]

8:38 The telegraph pole is on the left beside the truck compares to Universal Studios hollywood whereas the telegraph pole is located on right beside truck

[@davidtitorivera]

Is there more videos like this of the earthquake from Universal Studios in Orlando Florida?

[@thomasalvarez9242]

Oh how I miss this ride..

[@JohnTC9]

I love this original version & was dissapointed when they rethemed it to Disaster. One little thing I never really got is the part at 2:08 where Charleston Heston calls out to the projectioner to repeat the sequence & ask if there is a problem, every time I heard that it made me think that Charleston Henston is a jerk even look at his face expression in that quick moment before the sequence restarts

[@k001daddy]

The point of that scene was that Heston wanted to play the sequence again, but the projectionist came back at him a bit too eagerly and quickly, and took him by surprise. I worked there 2000-2006.

[@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440]

Y was the light in the sign saying embaradero stil on

[@johncarrillo518]

To this day I remember my dad was the one who jumped down onto the mat when they asked for a volunteer

[@Thelostpinetree]

I wish i was able to ride this :(

[@bryce5106]

This would have been so god da-excuse me incredible to see!

[@BunnyLover124]

What was that

[@ebonyharris11]

This ride and twister had me TERRIFIED as a kid 😅

[@landitogerena3422]

You Should have to Earthquake movie 1974 movie or something for ride and earthquake ride for me.

[@MKM_2002]

This is the back end of the ride.

[@Big_Burrito_Prod.]

7:03 the movie begins

[@thatguysstuff15]

No one is holding a cell phone and have you noticed how people are smiling . miss those days when you can smile and say hi to a complete stranger passing by you and they'd say hello back. now you do that , they dont even notice you . mabey if i dresed as a smart phone , they say hi .

[@OrangeCounty92]

Every little kid in this video are millennials that are 28-34 years old in 2022. I feel so old thinking about..lol

[@jonasbjerrum1117]

What was he saying? 7:00

[@maddpirate7558]

This ride looks the same as the disaster Right?

[@mariamena8831]

Yeah, with different effects.

[@baconfeatureschannel3480]

Moments before “DISASTER”

[@happyhal7593]

I’m not fast, just furious

[@geraldjohnson6109]

When l am in Walt Disney world l am going to get tee shirts and a Harry Potter wand and Harry Potter tie and a Harry Potter gown

[@JulioTMaker]

Damn it’s been two years now. I take it you found out the hard way that those don’t exist in Disney.

[@Wildartist]

The thing is I always wanted to ride this and twister But sence covid I had no chance to Thing is idk if these rides are still present to this year

[@WorldOfExcitementE]

They’re both gone and have been for several years now. There’s a smaller scale version of this ride on the studio tour at Universal Studios Hollywood (California).

[@geraldjohnson6109]

2020,2021 or later l am going to Walt Disney world when I have the money to travel to Walt Disney world. I have to save up my money to go to Walt Disney world on my vacation.

[@jerilemons5281]

I Dont Think I Rode The Earthquake ....

[@46619TAB]

I've been to Universal Studios and have never been so bored.

[@steviechan139]

Probably because most of the original rides are gone.

[@jamesfields4722]

They had been replaced.

[@fogheaded3866]

This was fun don't know what you're talking about

[@starrykailani]

It felt incomplete. Universal Florida was still pretty good

[@itsbenaiah6394]

First comment

[@daniellegarcia8299]

I bet you she was sick of having to reenact that each and every time multiple times a day, poor woman seems out of breath.

[@michaelmongeau2723]

"The fast and the furious is so much better than this real set" (rolls eyes)

[@Michael-ql9fo]

And today it's all CGI 😞

[@SonicDashie759]

Starving children in Africa could've drank all that water. What a waste.

[@twobeerandomland856]

I’m a local SF bay area resident and I clicked on this to see what it was all about. I actually found this comical and stupid with the 100+ errors from the real thing. Moreover, I wanted to point out a few. OK first off all a earthquake only happens once no pre-tremors. Aftershocks yes but not before and aftershocks are only less than the first initial shock! Just a quake for 20 seconds or less. It happens then that’s it! Once that happens all trains cease movement as they have a shut down set up. 2nd the Bay area rapid transit which this ride was mocking wouldn’t do anything like that. BART would be closed for hours if not days. The distance from the subway to the surface is incorrect as its 100 steps down from the surface. Not to mention the other transit system above the BART system. So if the road were to collapse on a very week unsucecucured zone it would hit the Muni metro transit first and barley damage that much. Water mains would be shut off immediately the shock. And believe me that looked nothing like Embarcadero station. Again 100+ errors than the real thing. People shouldn’t get that impression on what a ether quake is all about.

[@twobeerandomland856]

you missed my point. my point was people get the wrong impression and think that's how it is.

[@bishop51807]

It's about an attraction that so many people had good childhood memories, But nooo you Just had to be that "this is bullshit" guy. Such a buzz kill. I bet your folks love going with you to Universal. Yeah, we know earthquakes only last for a few seconds, but not everyone can have fun in such a short time like you doing your wife.

[@vibes3360]

bishop51807 😂😂😂

[@bezoticallyyours83]

You hafta understand the time that this movie and attraction was made. Plus they like to exaggerate it to look good for the audience. As a native Californian I know most earthquakes might rock the house for a few minutes at most. But that's not gonna make for an exciting attraction now is it?

[@itsbenaiah6394]

First comment

[@46619TAB]

We're anxious to read it.......